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30.10.09

How To Collect Hosta Seeds

Gardeners who grow hostas usually grow them for the foliage and because they lighten up shady gardens, but these perennial garden plants have just as impressive star-shaped flowers. The first hosta was introduced in my garden by way of seeds I swapped with another gardener online. In the fall I dug a small hole in the soil and placed the seeds, covering them with an inch or two of soil...the next spring I had hosta leafs!

I now have a couple of different hostas, all grown from seeds I collected once I learned how easy it was to gather and sow the seeds.

Hosta flower stalk: How to Collect Hosta Seeds.

Hosta foliage is nice, but I think I enjoy the hosta flower stalk the most. Before the blooms unfurl on the scape they remind me of Q-tips.

How to Save Hosta Seeds

An open hosta flower calling bees to visit and pollinate it.

When the flowers have been pollinated the seed pods looks like green sausages hung out to cure.

When the seeds pods are ripe they turn brown and start to split length wise. These seeds pods are far along and one seed pod is ready to release the seeds. If you notice your hosta seed pods are starting to split open while they are still green-you can go ahead and collect them then. Even when the seed pods are open most of the seeds will remain attached.

If the seed hosta seed pod is still closed, you can split it open with a finger nail and remove the hosta seeds which are black and papery. Gardeners who don't have time to check on the progress of seed pods every day can cut the flower stalk when it looks like the pods are ripening and place it in a vase of water to finish ripening indoors. I've also cut the flower stalk and placed it in a paper bag and let the pods open and release the seeds as they dry

Here's a video from my garden that shows a couple of bees pollinating the hosta flowers.

The hilarious comment by Garden Faerie below reminded me that one day while walking my foster brother to school, I stopped to collect some hosta seeds that were hanging out of a fence and over a sidewalk. I was bent over gathering the pods when he started screaming; "They're coming! Run, MrBrownThumb, RUUUUUN!!!!" When I looked up he was half a block away, his backpack bouncing like mad. It turned out he saw someone coming out of the house and he was sure we would be arrested for taking the seeds.

Most of the time I cut the flower stalk before seeds are produced but not always. I've gotten seeds before, but never collected them. I just figured they were the type that wouldn't germinate easily or wouldn't produce a plant of any size in several years. Silly me.

I've never started hostas from seeds, either... in fact, every single hosta in my garden was given to me as a division. (Which reminds me of something Felder Rushing (who is a hoot and a half) once said, “Anybody who doesn’t have a hosta doesn’t have any friends.”) Still, it's a great option starting from seed, too. And stealing seed is so much more polite than dividing strangers' plants--HA!!!! ;-)

I was suppose to post this post about two weeks back so it is really late, but while looking around the neighborhood I see that many hostas still have some seed pods attached. Look around and you may get lucky.

@Kylee,

I think mine took about two years to be fully mature plants, but like you I thought they'd be among those 3-4 year perennials I'd have to wait to grow and flower.

@garden girl,

Thanks. I didn't know that hummingbirds visited them but it makes sense since the blooms are a perfect shape for hummingbirds. You reminded me I had a video from this summer of some bees pollinating the blooms and I added it to this post.

@Monica,

You are hilarious! You reminded me of this one time when I was walking my foster brother to school and I was taking some hosta seeds and hilarity ensued.

@walk2write,I hope you do, nothing better than adding to the garden "free" plants. If you're like me and you're not a hosta fanatic who cares about cultivars growing them from seed is a good option.

Like most other commenters, I usually cut back the straggly stalk when it's finished blooming. I have so many hosta around my yard, all because of my thrifty shovel! They are SO EASY to divide. Even the smallest piece, if it has a root on it, will grow. I'm curious about the seeds though, so am going to make a point of trying that out next year.

Re: a comment you left at Garden Girl: 100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names is a favorite book of mine. So interesting, and short, easy chapters! (I find my eyes don't like me reading too long any more!)

I never let things get that far along... I usually trim the stems. However, this was very interesting and I appreciate the information! You gave me a chuckle with your last story. I often feel the same way... are we NOT supposed to harvest seeds when we're "out and about?" i.e., public gardens, etc. ?

Yipee! I never thought about growing Hosta from seed (also cut mine after they flower). After reading Mr.BT article I went for a walk and found many Hosta seeds in near-by park. It would be some variety for sure. Will be growing those babies, even though I don't have an idea how their mommas look like. To those who also collected seads this year, I would highly suggest that they research on Winter sowing Hostas and they can have little ones in Spring already. I will be doing my first Winter sowing with all kinds of seeds this year. Thanks for heads up on seeds, they are still some to be found in Ontario.Good luck.

For crying out loud! I was taught by the gardeners in my family to cut the flower stems down as they begin to wilt, supposedly strengthening the root system---important for those of us who only know *correction: knew* of propagation by division.Thanks!

I saw one of your posters here mentioned that it was too hot in TX for a hosta to be comfortable. Is this true? I live in Corpus Christi and I want to give hostas a try down here. I have a nice partly sunny area (or too much shade for other things) in my front area here at my apt, and I thought that I'd give them a try in those spots using amended soil. Do you think it would work, or are temps over 90 degrees too much. I ask because I remember more than one summer back home in the midwest where the temps were quite similar. The humidity is high here too. Do you think I might have a chance?

It depends on what part of Texas you are in. I asked a couple of Texas gardeners what they thought about growing hostas in the state. One gardener http://annieinaustin.blogspot.com said it was too hot. One said (if I'm remembering correctly) that in Fort Worth people grew them. I would say look around your neighborhood and city. If you don't see hostas growing then chances are that it is too hot and like one Texas gardener said to me, "they're treated like expensive annuals here." Humidity shouldn't be a problem, it gets humid in Chicago and my hostas do just fine.

One thing omitted from this seems to be that hosta from seed DOES NOT GROW true to the parent hosta; in short each and every hosta grown by seed is a new variety (REALLY).

While not doubting the author, this is the first article that I have read that suggests that hosta is easy to grow directly from seed to ground. As I am trying to grow hosta seed this winter (2014) I may experiment and do some with control propagation and another set directly from seed to ground.

I don't see why Hostas couldn't grow in Texas in mostly shade. I'm in Atlanta and I guess it's more humid than there? But it gets very hot too, it's June 23 and it's been between 94 - 97 with 40% humidity all week. And in July it's 99 to 102. My Hosta gets full sun on my patio balcony from noon to 6ish, and it's very happy.

I live in an apartment, and a neighbor who moved in February tossed a root ball to the ground. I just thought it was part of the pine straw that falls and forms a cover, but in the spring I saw a green spot and when I checked it was a Hosta, sprouting as it lay there. I rescued it and put it in a 12 inch pot on my patio and it's thriving. It's been blooming for a couple weeks, and I came here to see if I could figure out where the seeds would be so I can propogate some more! They're pretty hardy apparently.

If you're worried about heat, I'd plant them in mostly shade and make sure they're mulched to keep their soil moist. It'll only cost you $10 to give it a try. :)

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